Norwalk, CT, August 18, 2009: Officials at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) have today revealed the names of four new guests who will be appearing at the new comic book and pop culture convention which is being launched April 16 – 18, 2010 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center. Guests of Honor Jackson Guice, Steve McNiven, Ben Templesmith and Ethan Van Sciver will join previously announced Keystone Guest of Honor Alex Ross, celebrated comic book painter and Chicago area resident, and Guest of Honor Jeff Smith, who has not appeared in Chicago in over 10 years. C2E2 organizers are making it a priority to announce guests early and often to keep Chicago and Midwest fans fully informed of the great lineup of dynamic talent from comics, graphic literature, and all corners of pop culture that will be on hand to entertain fans at the show next April.

“I’m very excited and nothing but grateful for the faith put forward by C2E2’s latest Guests of Honor,” notes Lance Fensterman, Vice President and Show Manager for both C2E2 and New York Comic Con. “But this is only the tip of the iceberg. We have a lot of exciting names in the works, and we will be making more major announcements over the coming weeks and months. Our goal for C2E2 is to provide the top guests from across the pop culture spectrum, and we are well on our way. We want this to be the best show that Chicago has ever seen!”

“It’s been six years since my last convention appearance,” Guest of Honor Jackson Guice stated. “I cannot think of a better show to return to the convention circuit for me than the inaugural C2E2 in Chicago 2010. The success and quality reputation of the New York Comic Con is respected throughout the industry, and I’m sure C2E2 will be more of the same success — Chicago style!”

Jackson Guice, Steve McNiven, Ben Templesmith and Ethan Van Sciver will appear in the show’s Artist Alley, sketching and signing autographs throughout the weekend. C2E2’s sister show — New York Comic Con — features over 300 top names and up-and-comers in its Artist Alley, and C2E2 aims to bring a similarly impressive breadth of comic greats to Chicago. C2E2’s Artist Alley will be coordinated by the talents of Spencer R. Beck of The Artist’s Choice, who has also coordinated every NYCC Artist Alley to date, and Sal Abbinanti, artist and creator of Atomika and of AlexRossArt.com.

Artists interested in joining Artist Alley can apply online now at www.C2E2.com. For more information on C2E2 or to purchase tickets, please also visit www.C2E2.com. For the latest announcements, please visit C2E2’s official blog, www.mediumatlarge.net, or follow C2E2 on Twitter at www.twitter.com/C2E2.

ABOUT JACKSON GUICE:

Jackson “Butch” Guice has built a varied career with nearly three decades of experience as a comic artist. In the early 1980s, his work on Micronauts, New Mutants, and X-Factor for Marvel earned him a reputation as a solid and exciting draftsman. He moved to DC for a fan-favorite run on post-Crisis Flash before settling into the 1990s delivering steady work for both companies. Following a tenure at CrossGen on the Harvey and Eisner nominated title Ruse, he briefly collaborated with Kurt Busiek on Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis and illustrated numerous comic albums for the European comic market for French publisher Humanoids. He is now back with the publisher he started his career with, working exclusively for Marvel on such titles as Iron Man, Captain America, and Ultimate Origins, as well as currently embellishing Bryan Hitch’s pencils on Captain America: Reborn.

ABOUT STEVE McNIVEN:

Steve has been penciling comic books for a while now, mostly at home with his cats. His wife and daughter think he’s doing a pretty good job, too. His work can mostly be seen in the pages of Marvel comics under such titles as Amazing Spider-Man, The New Avengers, Marvel Civil War, and Wolverine. When he’s not working, he loves to attend conventions such as the one this blurb is attached to, where he gets a chance to talk to fellow comic fans and buy even more art books that won’t fit into his already stuffed studio.

ABOUT BEN TEMPLESMITH:

Ben is a New York Times best-selling artist and writer most widely known for his work in the American comic book industry where he has received multiple nominations for the International Horror Guild Awards as well as the industry’s top prize, the Eisner Award. He’s also won a Spike TV Scream Award. As a creator, his most notable works have been 30 Days of Night (which has now spawned a major motion picture) and Fell. His other projects include the critically-acclaimed serial Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, as well as Welcome to Hoxford, (recently optioned by Chris Columbus ) and Singularity 7, all of which he also wrote. He has also worked on the Star Wars, Doctor Who, GI Joe, Army of Darkness, Silent Hill, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer properties and produces art and design for musicians, DVD, toys, and film concept work.

ABOUT ETHAN VAN SCIVER:

Ethan Van Sciver, 35-years-old, is by now a being of pure energy and light. Without Ethan Van Sciver, we wouldn’t have Cyberfrog, Flash: Iron Heights, Green Lantern: Rebirth, Sinestro Corps., or Flash: Rebirth. And if we did, they wouldn’t have half the number of lines in the drawings. His skin is pale, but soft and yielding to a gentle touch. His eyes sparkle, with the slightest crease of crow’s feet at the corners, clues of acquired wisdom with age. His hair is as if God’s own mare sacrificed a blessed patch of nourishing hay, sparing only enough to cap and warm his delightfully impish mind. His newest projects? Whatever they may be, they will fill the shelves of the tasteful and imaginative comic book fans the world over. He is Ethan Van Sciver. And for the weekend, he belongs to Chicago.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS POP CULTURE GROUP:

The Pop Culture Group at Reed Exhibitions owns and operates the New York Comic Con (NYCC), the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), and the New York Anime Festival (NYAF). New York Comic Con was launched in 2006 and quickly became a dominant presence in the pop culture world of public events. In 2009, 452 companies exhibited at NYCC for a total of 84,000 square feet of paid exhibit space, and it has been ranked by Crain’s New York Business as the second-largest annual event in NYC. C2E2, which will debut April 16 – 18 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center, is modeled after NYCC and will provide fans the opportunity to meet and greet their favorite writers, creators, and artists, as well as to see, hear and learn about the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. The Pop Culture Group also operates the recently-launched UFC Fan Expo in partnership with the UFC – the world’s leading professional mixed martial arts organization – and it formed a strategic partnership with Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in 2008 and will work closely with PAX on the launch of PAX East in Boston in 2010.